High Court issues Notice in ‘2015 Baramulla Assault Case’; DSP Feroz Yahya named as main accused

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court issued notice today in a case relating to serious assault by the police on 22 year old Javaid Ahmad Lone of Qazi Hamam, Baramulla town. Status report was sought from the State respondents.
According to statement issued, the writ petition filed by the father of the victim and heard for the first time today, alleges that on 8 May 2015, DSP Feroz Yehya grievously injured the victim by assaulting him on his head while interrogating the victim inside the Baramulla police station. “As a direct consequence, the victim has suffered severe brain injury and has been in a vegetative state since then despite being taken to hospitals in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir. Prior to 8 May, the victim was arrested and detained at the Baramulla police station from the intervening night of 29/30 April to 5 May 2015, when he was released, only to be brought back to the police station on 8 May when he was interrogated and brutally beaten by DSP Feroz Yehya”, the statement reads.

The background, as detailed in the petition, is the ongoing feud in the family between the victim and his father, on one hand, and two other brothers of the victim – one of whom is a SPO with the police and the other is a notorious drug dealer. “It appears that the harassment and beating of the victim is a direct consequence of this feud in which the police appear to have taken the side of the two brothers. Further, the police have also concocted a false story through FIR number 80/2015 at Baramulla police station wherein it is claimed that the victim tried to commit suicide”, it added.

The High Court petition seeks the registration of a FIR against DSP Feroz Yehya and the constitution of a special investigation team – headed by a senior police officer from a district other than Baramulla – to carry out fair and proper investigations. Further, the family also seeks compensation from the government for the violation of the rights of the victim and as the family faces enormous financial difficulties as they seek to treat the victim who continues to be in a vegetative condition.

This case represents yet another instance of police brutality followed by a cover up as the victims continue to struggle for justice, statement reads